Macro or mega, it's still ecology

Posted Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:32:10 GMT by Dave Armstrong

A new essay published in PLoS ONE looks at macroecology and sustainability. Humans are constrained by the systems that operate within the planet earth's ecological framework. Ecology has always been a minor partner in human endeavours, but seems to be the crucial one for us now.

Archaea live long and slowly

Posted Sat, 02 Jun 2012 19:03:00 GMT by Dave Armstrong

T-Rex came and went, then mammals ruled, all the while the single-celled archaeon persisted with its slow growth lifestyle. Distantly related to bacteria, archaea have the slowest growth rate known to date.

Sex determination in birds

Posted Tue, 29 May 2012 23:01:00 GMT by Dave Armstrong

The ZZW hen is female to start with but develops male characteristics and produces no fertile gametes (eggs OR sperm). Except that is for the ZZW Kentish plover, noted in the study of sex determination in birds.

Earthquakes are always big news - or are they?

Posted Sat, 26 May 2012 11:02:39 GMT by Michael Evans

Earthquake prediction is an inexact science and the recent Italian earthquake has highlighted the danger of not taking adequate precautions. An Anglo-Russian satelite programme hopes to be able to use electromagnetic signals as a means of early warning.

When dinosaurs ruled the Pampas

Posted Wed, 23 May 2012 10:40:33 GMT by Dave Armstrong

In Patagonia, which was part of southern Gondwanaland, a very early complete (almost) theropod dinosaur example has been found from the middle of the Jurassic period, 40 million years before any relative.

Where, how and what do an ant and a pitcher plant exchange?

Posted Wed, 16 May 2012 10:28:34 GMT by Dave Armstrong

Mutual benefits of a relationship between an ant species and pitcher plant; mutualism. Only one of the 120 species of the Nepenthes genus has been found so far to use a single plant - ant species within its tissues to help out.

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What are we going to do about energy production, while the Paris Summit on carbon emissions looms in December? While we twiddle our thumbs, global warming is worsening at a faster and faster pace. Each individual on earth needs to act like his personal government and environmental agent, to gain a fuller appreciation of how technology and 'new' thinking can prevent such vast amounts of emissions. Many solutions are being found, but they have to appear this year. Otherwise, the winter in Paris could be uncomfortable in so many different ways.

The future is talked about, the climate is changing, but when will we finally stop the rot. Forests are essential but from Japanese furniture to cardboard and toilet paper, they are still being used illogically and incomprehensibly by people who all know better. The time has come to prevent the disappearance of these trees and all the animals that live in, on and around them. This is a desperate time for us and all the other species around forests.

Conservation is not only about the big animals. The plants, their consumers and the rest of an ecosystem may not catch headlines, but involving them and indigenous populations is crucial to our last ditch efforts to keep these organisms alive in their habitat.

When dolphins are 'rescued' in various countries, the car given seems to be ill-considered. We are simply looking at the success rate which is reported to be low, in most places. They could even end up in commercial aquarium shows, but they certainly rarely make it back to the sea.